The field of the invention is generally that of vending machines for merchandise dispensers and, more particularly, such a vending machine for particulate material, such as coffee, tea, powdered milk, cocoa, or any particulate material which it is desired to dispense in a measured quantity. It would be desirable to have a relatively inexpensive, simple machine of this type which would be employed in offices, factories, and various places of work where workers or groups of people congregate and where it may be desired to prepare coffee, tea, cocoa, or the like, easily by dispensing the desired particulate material into a cup or the like and to add either hot or cold water to prepare the desired beverage. In such offices and places of work, it is not desired that a large, complex, and expensive vending machine of the conventional prior art type be employed but, rather, a relatively, small, simple, and inexpensive and easy-to-operate machine, and it is precisely these objectives which are obtained in and through the use of the novel slide action dispenser of the present invention by reason of the novel features of the present invention as set forth hereinafter.